Display-cabinet.



A. E. BEZOIEFL DISPLAVUKBNET.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.30. 1916.

Patented Apr. 30,1918.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 1- A. E. BEZOlER. DISPLAY CABINET. 4 APPucATloN man vecao. 191e. mm., Patented Apr, 30,1918.

" SHEETs-SHEET 2.

ia ai r ip.

LEXIS BEZOIER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

y DISPLAY-CABINET.

`T0 all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I,- ALEXIS E. BEzoIER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and .State ofMinnesota, have invented certain `new and useful Improvements inDisplay- Cxbinets; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse thesame.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved cabinet withmovable racks, adapted for use in displayingvarious articles ofmerchandise, but especially adapted for use in displaying hats.

To thc above end, generally stated, the i11- vention consists of thenovel devices and vcombinations of devices hereinafter described anddefined in the claims.

In the vaccompanying drawings, which illust-rate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views. t

Referring to the drawings:

'Figure l is' a side elevation of the improved cabinet with one of itsside panels removed to expose the interior of the cabinet and alsoshowing the doors open;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 2-2`of Fig.1f.;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the upper,

track sections; A A

Fig. 4 is a view in a horizontal section taken'on `the line 4-4 of Fig.1, with the doors closed and illustrated in open positions by means ofbroken lines; and,

lig.- 5 is a side view of one of the display rac rs.

T he numeral 1 indicates a rectangular `cabinet havmg a 4pau ofhorizontally swmging doors hinged thereto. It will, be noted `that thesedoors 2 terminate considerably short of the top and bottom of thecabinet and have panels 3 of glass. It desired, these panels may bemirrors, so that a prospective purchaser may observe the lappearance ofhats while standing in front of the cabinet.

Within the cabinet 1, as shown, are four display racks 4.` These displayracks 4 are identical one with the ,other and a descrip- Ation of theone willsuiiice for the other.

Each -display rack 4; comprises `top, bottom, back and side members,rigidly connected in a rectangular arrangement, and a plurality 0Eshelves 5. AThe shelves 5, as shown, are

Specication of Letterslatent.

Application led December 30, 1916.

Patented Apr. 30, 191%. Serial No. 139,900.

each formed by a plurality of horizontally spaced rods having,r theirends secured to the side members'of the rack. Any other desired form ofshelving, of course, may be substi- A long tuted for the shelving shown.vertical slot 6 is eut in each side member of the display rack 4 andextends from the top thereof, downward substantially two-thirds of thefull height of said rack. On the outer face of each side member of therack 4 are upper and lower pairs of grooved wheels 7 and 8,respectively. The foremost upper wheel 7 and the wheels 8 are alllocated in the same vertical plane and ,journaled directly to therespective yside of the rack 4. The rearnlost wheel 7 for a purpose thatwill presently appear is located in a vertical plane outward of theother wheel 7 and is journaled to a bracket 9, secured to the displayracli 4.

The display racks 4 are mounted to travel .an endless rectilinear coursein a vertical plane that transversely intersects the cabinet 1 and aremoved successively in front of the door opening thereof. During thevertical movement of the racks 4, at the front ot' the cabinet 1, theforemost wheels 7 and 8 thereof run onl vertical track sections 10,secured to the inside of the front of the cabinet 1 between the door.opening and the side panels thereof. The lower ends of the tracksectionslO are curved downward into horizontal track sections 11 whichform continuationsthereof, and on which track sections 11 the wheels 8racks 4, when in their lowermost positlons and moving horizontally fromthe front to the rear of the cabinet 1. The rear ends of the tracksections 11 are curved upward into vertical track sections 12 which formcontinuations thereof, and are secured on the back of the cabinet 1. Therearmos't wheels 8 travel on the track sections 12 during the upwardvertical movement of the racks 4 at the back of the cabinet 1. Duringthis move` ment of the racks 4 the offset wheels 7, journaled in thebrackets 9, run on track sections 1 3, which extend parallel to thetrack sections 12 and are secured to the back `of the cabinet 1. Whilethe racks 4 are moving from the back to the front of the cabinet 1,during their uppermost traveling movement, the foremost wheels 7 travelon track sections 14 and the rearmost vf said wheels travel on tracksectiorsvl/ IlEaclv'pair of track sections 14 an,

travel and support 5.0 "rifare held on the track sections 10, 12` and 13on the upper face of a bar 16 rigidly secured in the cabinet 1.'Passageways 17 and 18 are .formed in the vertical faces of the bars 16at the ends of the track sections 14 and 15, re-l spectively. Thesepassageways 17 and 18 afford clearance for the-wheels 7 during the`elevating and lowering movements of the racks 4, to 'and' from thetrack sections 14 and 15.

In order that the wheels 7 l.may have a continuous .track 13o-travel on,during the y be necessary to form a gap movementv of the racks 4, fromthe back'to the .front of the cabinet, it is necessary to laterallyoHset said wheels, with respect to each other, and provide a .doubletrack therefor. With a single track, it would, cf course, therein forthe passage of the forward wheel 7 therethrough, during the liftingmovement of the racks 4, and to form a second gap therein for thepassage of the'rear wheel 7 therethrough, during the lowering movementof said`racks.

- Transfer bars 19 and endless sprocket chains 20 rare provided formoving the display racks 4 lyv/fiontally in pairs, one

above the other,

' ing alternate pairs of said racks vertically.

two moving racks.

4 1s moving vertically track sections display racks 4 z alternate pairs,

vmoving the other pair is standing still and During the horizontalmovement of the located, the one above the other, at the .center ofthecabinet 1 and between said While one of the racks downward at the front`of thecabinet 1 with its foremost wheels7 and 8 running on the tracksections 10, the other of said moving racks is movf ingupward at theback of the cabinet, with planes between with the stationary .itsrearmost wheels 7 and 8 running on the track sections 12 and 13. Duringthevertical movements of the front and rear racks .4: certain of theirlgrooved wheels 7 and 8 bywthe engagement of said movingracks andcentrally `Llocated racks.

" The sprocket chains 20 travel in vertical the sides of the racks 4 andthe side panels of-the cabinet 1. Each sprocket chain 20 runs over apair of horizontally spaced sprocket wheels 21 journaled on a bar 22 andunder a pair of horizontally spacedA sprocket wheels 23 journaled lon a4bar 24. The bars 22 and 24 are rigidly secured in vthe cabinet `1slightly below below the lower ends thereof, respectively.

arrangement, except at bars 19 are chains 20, and'their upper ends arecon-l nd for successively mov-I saidracks is moved on theI that is,Vwhile one pair is- `thereof are carried onto same is moved on the ing'the l :During ways 17 and the rcarmost wh the tops of the doors andslightly'` Lacasse `Flach set of sprocket wheels 21 and 23 keeps therespective sprocket chain 20 in rectilinear horizontal runs where thesaine is looped ldownward between upper and lower. pairs the centers ofits of sprocket wheels 25 and 26, respectively.-

These sprocket wheelsy 25 and 26 are journaled, respectively, on thebars 22 and 24. The upperloop of cach sprocket chain' 2O runs under asprocket wheel 27 journaled on a bar 28, and the lower loop in saidchain runs `under a sprocket wheel 29 journaled on a bar 30. The bars 28and 3() are rigidly secured in the cabinet 1. The transfer bars 19 posedand there is one at each yside of each rack 4.

pivoted at 31 to the sprocket nected to the racks 4 for pivotal andvertical sliding movements by providing. thc saine with laterallyprojecting work in the slots 6. The extreme upper ends of the transferbars 19 above the bolts 32 are in the form of wedges 33, adapted toenter V-shaped notches in shoulders 34 secured to the upper ends of theracks 4 and span the slots 6.

The intermittent-movement imparted to each rack 4'by. the respectivetransfer b ars 19 carried by the continuously moving sprocket chains 2Ois as follows, to Witz- During the lower movement of the foremost rack4, the same is supported from its shoulders 34 on the upper ends of therespective transfer bars 19 and, upon reaching its lowermost position,the wheels 8 the track sections From this position of the rack 4, the

track sections 11, durmovement ofthe transfer bars 1 9, .between theforemost sprocket wheels 23 are vertically dis- The lower ends of thetransferV bolts 32 which4 and 26. As the transfer bars 19 pass 'over theforemost sprocket Wheels 26, the same are withdrawn from engagement withthe shoulders 34 and leave the rack in an intermediate position iiiwhich it remains, while said transfer bars 19 are traveling the coursesof the lower loops in the chains 2 0.

.As the transfer bars 19 move over the rearinost sprocket wheels 26, thetransverse bars 19 are again carried into interlocking engagement withthe shoulders 34 and move the rack 4 on the track sections 11 to therear of the cabinet. While the tra-.sfe bars 19 are moving from therearmost sprocket wheels 23, the rack is lifted thereby from itslowermost to its uppermost position. this movement of the rack 4, theforemost wheels 7 pass throughthe passageeels 7 move through thepassageways 18. As the transfer bars 19 start on their horizontalmovement toward the front of the cabinet, the foremost wheels 7 arecarried onto the track sections 14 and the rearmost Wheels 7 are carriedonto the vtrack sections 15. With the wheels 7 on the track sections 14and 15, the rack 4 is moved toward the'front of the cabinet, While thetransfer bars 19 are moving between the rearmost sprocket Wheels 21 and25. The transfer bars 19, in passing over the rearmost sprocket wheels25, are again withdrawn from the shoulders 34 and leave the rack 4 in anintermediate position, while said transfer bars 19 are traveling thecourses of the upper loops in the chains 20. At the completion of thesecourses, the transfer bars 19 are again carried into interlockingengagement with the shoulders 34 and continue the movement of the rack 4on the track sections 14 and 15 to a position where the wheels 7 are inregistration with the respective passagewaysl 17 and 18. From thisposition of the rack 4, the same is lowered past the door openings,during the movement ofthe transfer bars 19 from the foremost sprocketwheels 21 to 'the lowermost sprocketl'wh'eels 23, which completes thecircuit of on'e of the racks 4.

As one means for moving the racks 4 successivelyy past thedorfopening inthe cabinet 1, there is providedA a motorv 35, diagrammaticallyillustrated in Fig. 2, and connected by any suitable means to a shaft 36on which therea-rmost sprocket wheel 21, on one side of the cabinet, iskeyed. The expression upper and lower, with respect to the tracks andthe depending loops in the chains 20, is used for the sake ofdeiniteness and it is, of course, understood that the cabinet and themechanism therein may be designed, so that the display racks will movein a horizontal plane.

The above described display cabinet is, as is evident, designed to holda large number of hats or other articles of merchandise and,

. by setting the display racks in motion, by

the motor shown in the drawings or other suitable means, said displayracks are moved successively before a prospective buyer.

In place of u 'ng metal rods for shelving, as shown, it isllof course,understood that strips of canvas yor other fabric may be substituteoltherefor` Fabric shelving has one importa at advantage overshelving that has a hard surface and that is, it will conform lto allshapes of hats and prevent them from losing their shape.

l, The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality of racks mounted inthe cabinet for movement in an endless course, and continuously movingmeans for intermittently and simultaneously` individually moving all ofthe racks and for intermittently moving alternate racks.

2. The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality ofracks mounted in thecabinet for movement "in an endless course, and conttt tinuously movingmeans for intermittently and simultaneously individually moving saidracks in two groups, the one past the other and in opposite directions,and for intermittently moving alternate racks in opposite directions.

3. The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality of racks mounted inthe cabinet for movement in an endless course, a driven belt, wheelsjournaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt, and transfer barspermanently connecting the. racks to the belt and arranged tointermittently move said racks in their endless course.

4. The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality of racks mounted inthe cabinet for movement in an endless course, a driven belt, Wheelsjournaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt, and transferbars carriedby the belt and connected to the racks for slidingr movement andvarranged to impart intermittent movement to the racks in their endlesscourse.

5. The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality of racks mounted inthe cabinet for movement in an endless course, a driven belt, wheelsjournaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt, transfer bars carried bythe belt'and i connected to the racksfor sliding movement, and meanswith which the transfer bars inl termittently engage to hold the sameonthe racks against sliding movement in one direction. Y'

6. The combination with acabinet, `of a plurality of racks mounted inthe cabinet for movement in an endless course, a' driven belt, wheelsjournaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt,- transfer bars pivoted tothe belt and connected to the racks for pivotal and sliding movements,and means with which the transfer bars intermittently engage'to hold thesame on the racks against pivotal movement and sliding movement in onedirection.

7.- The combination with a cabinet, of a plurality of racks mounted in'the cabinet for movement in an endless rectilinear course, a drivenbelt, wheels .journaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt in arectilinear course and for holding opposite runs of the belt looped,transfer bars carried by the belt and connected to the racks for slidingmovement while said belt is moving through the loops in its course, andmeans for intermittently securing the transfer bars to the racks againstsliding movement in one direction.

8.' The combination with a cabinet, of a lplurality of racks .mounted in:the cabinet for movement in an endless rectilinear course, a drivenbelt, wheels journaled in the cabinet for guiding the belt in arectilinear course and for holding the upper and lower runs of the beltto form depending loops, upper andlower tracks in the cabinet, transferbars carried by the belt and having sliding engagement with the racks,and stops on the racks with Whicn me transfer bars engage to carry theracks to and from said tracks and for intermittently moving the rackshorizontally on the tracks.

and for holding the upper and lower runs thereof to form dependingloops, upper and .lower tracks in the cabinet, transfer bars pivoted tothe belt at one of their ends and having their other ends connected tothe racks for pivotal and slidin movements, and 15 stops on the rackswith vv ich the transfer bars engage at the limit of their slidinmovement and'lock the same against pivota movement with respect to theracks.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature 20 in presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXIS E. BEZOIER.

Witnesses:

HARRY D. Kin-Gone, F. D. MERCHANTL"

